LIFT Air takes on new projectsLIFT Air takes on new projects

April 20, 2018By Thomas A. Horne

LIFT Air of Eisenach, Germany, which acquired light sport aircraft manufacturer Flight Design in 2017, announced its next goals at AERO Friedrichshafen. LIFT Air owner Sven Lindig said the company will continue to produce Flight Design’s CT and CTLS line of LSAs, in addition to the German-built Rotorvox gyroplane that LIFT Air had previously bought in 2017.

Flight Design CTLS photo by Mike Fizer.

The company’s future goals for its airplanes include “vision zero,” a concept intended to prevent any occupants from sustaining serious injuries. To this end, air bags and overspeed and underspeed envelope protection join the existing ballistic recovery parachute systems. A hybrid-electric four-seater based on Flight Design’s C4 is also planned for introduction in 2019. The electric motor for this four-seater will come from Axter Aerospace of Madrid, Spain; the internal combustion engine will be a six-cylinder Rotax.

Tom Peghiny will retain his post as president of Flight Design USA, and Jens-Uwe Eras will continue as managing director of Rotorvox.

Thomas A. Horne

AOPA Pilot Editor at Large

AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Tom Horne has worked at AOPA since the early 1980s. He began flying in 1975 and has an airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates. He’s flown everything from ultralights to Gulfstreams and ferried numerous piston airplanes across the Atlantic.